Suction nozzle



April 8, 1941. C;I H, CRANMER I. 2,237,724

SUCTION NOZZLE Filed Jan. 23, 1939 11 16 15 l 12 j f INVENTOm mm BY ywy M W MVUW atented pr. 8, 1941 sUcrrroN NozzLE George Horace Cranmer, Philadelphia, Pa., as-

signor to Electrolux Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware 3 Claims.

My invention relates to suction nozzles and more particularly to suction vnozzles for cleaning rugs.

In. cleaning rugs there are different conditions to be met depending upon the type of rug to be cleaned and also the type of dirt to be removed by a suction nozzle.

Dirt embedded in the pile of a rug is most conveniently removed by a suction nozzle having smooth lips and producing a iiow of a large volurne of air through the rug pile. In removing surface dirt including hairs, threads, and the like, it is desirable to produce a high velocity of air flow alongr the rug surface. An agitator for separating or loosening hairs, threads, etc.,

Application January 23, 1939, Serial No. 252,280

tenacously adhering to the surface of Ythe rugis desirable especially in the case of high pile rugs such as Oriental rugs.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved suction nozzle with an agitator .for quickly and efficiently removing surface dirt.

Another object of my invention is to provide a suction nozzle with a two position agitator with dilferent surfaces for cleaning different types of rugs.

What l consider to be novel and my invention may be better understood by reference to the following specification and appended claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a top plan view of my. improved suction nozzle;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing the agitator in an alternate position.

Referring to the drawing Ill indicates a suc, tion nozzle body having a top surface II and a bottom surface I2. The bottom surface I2 is provided with an elongated suction opening I3 surrounded by smooth lips I4. Suction opening I3 is used for the general cleaning of rugs and for removing dirt embedded in the rug pile. The smooth lips I4 seal against a rugvsurface and so cause air to pass through the rug pile. For removing surface dirt, hairs, threads, and the like, the top surface II is provided with a rod I5 having a central passage IB. Passage I6 coma municates with the interior of the body I0 and provides a suction opening smaller thai. the suction opening I3 and sufficiently small to produce a high velocity flow of air when connected to a Vacuum cleaner. Rod I5 is provided with spacer' lugs or teeth '1 located at 'ich side of vided on the reverse side of rod I5 adjacent each side of the passage I6. The lugs IB are longer, wider, and spaced farther apart than the lugs I'I. The spaces between lugs I8 are curved producing smooth side edges on the lugs I8 for a purpose that will be pointed out below.

The ends of rod I5 enter recesses I9 in top surface II as shown at the left in Fig. 2. Rod I5 may be bowed out at its center to frictionally `engage top surface II and hold the rod in a selected position. Top surface II and rod I5 are secured to body Ill by a plurality of screws 22. A finger grip 23 is connected to the rod I5 for convenience in rotating the rod to a position to present lugs l1 or lugs I8 as desired. Adjacent the extremities of rod I5, two gliding surfaces 241 extend outwardly from the top surface I I and serve the dual functions of facilitating the movement of the nozzle along a rug surface and locating either the lugs I'I or the lugs I8 at the surface of the rug. A pivoted elbow 25 communicates -with the interior of the body II) and may b e connected to a vacuum cleaner, not shown, through the intermediary of a suction conduit. When elbow 25 and body Ill are in the relative positions shown in Fig. 2 the suction produced by a vacuum cleaner is communicated to the suction opening I3. By rotating the body I0 about the elbow 25 through an angle of 180 degrees communication is established 'with the passage I6.

When the nozzle body I0 is to be used for cleaning a rug, it is connected to a vacuum cleaner as by means of the connection of a sucnon conduit to eib'ow 2s. The embedded dirt is removed from the rug by traversing it with the bottom I2 in contact with the rug surface. When it is desired to remove surface dirt, hairs, threads, and the like, the nozzle body I0 is rotated on the elbow 25 to a position with the top surface Il in contact with the rug. With the rod I5 in the position shown in Figs. 1 to 3 the lugs I'I engage the rug surface. The end extensions 24 serve to position the lugs I'I at the surface of the rug pile. Air entering the passage IB travels along the surface of the pile and due to the relatively small cross-sectional area of the passage I6 attains a high velocity. At the nc zzle is moved across a rug the high velocity air flow will carry the surface dirt including the loose hairs,

threads, etc. into the passage I6. Hairs, threads, or the like which are adhering tenaciously to the surface of rthe rug pile are loosened by the lugs I1. The forward edges of the lugs I1 adjacent the rear of the passage I6, determined by the direction of movement of the nozzle, serve to loosen the threads and the like. The lugs I1 on the opposite side of the passage I6 serve to guard the sharp edges of the other lugs I 1 and prevent them from becoming deeply embedded -in the rug pile. Regardless of the direction of movement of the nozzle one set of lugs I1 serve to loosen the threads and the other set on the opposite side of passage I6 serve as guards for the first set. The spaces between the lugs I1 permit a ow of air right at the surface of the pile from both sides into the passage I6. The passage I6 being of uniform cross-section throughout its extent the velocity of the air is maintained in its passage therethrough and there is no tendency for dirt picked up by high velocity air bengprecipitated again due to a reduction in the velocity as the air enters the nozzle. An

' important advantage obtained from the location of the lugs I1 on each side of the central'passage I6 is the equal facility with which surface dirt may be removed upon movement of the nozzle in a forward or reverse direction.

In cleaning hooked rugs which have looped threads at the surface instead of the free ends of a pile, as do other rugs, there is a possibility that the lugs I1 may catch in the surface threads. The lugs I8 are wider and do not have the sharp side edges of the lugs I1 due to the curved surfaces between the lugs` I8. The lugs I8 will not catch in looped surface threads and so may be used for cleaning hooked rugs. The lugs I8 perform the same function as the lugs I1 and if desired may be used for the surface clean- -ing of other rugs especially low pile rugs.

What'I claim is: v

l. A suction nozzle comprising a hollow body, a rod secured to said body with an elongated transverse passage forming a suction opening and communicating with the interior o1' said body, spaced teeth with blunt edges merging into curved surfaces between adjacent teeth extending along said rod adjacent said passage, each end of said rod rotatably received in recesses in said body, a finger grip secured to said rod for rotating said rod from one position to another, and means to hold said rod in one or the other of its alternate positions.

2. A suction nozzle comprising a body having a suction opening, a rotatable rod secured to said body within the suction opening and having an l elongated transverse passage communicating with the .interior of the body at one end, spaced teeth projecting from said rod adjacent said passage providing an agitating surface upon presentation of one end of the passage to a surface to be cleaned, spaced projections extending from said rod adjacent the opposite end of the passage from said one end, and means to rotate said rod to present one or the opposite end of the passage to a surface being cleaned.

3. A suction nozzle comprising a body having a suction opening, a rotatable rod secured to said body Within the suction opening with an elongated transverse passage communicating with 

